Among Stars: Carter
by bananabreakdowns
Summary: It's June 2019, and Carla and Peter find comfort in each other beneath the stars.


Carla lay on the soft grass, her head resting on the pillow, gazing up at the glittering night sky above. The soft breeze licked her skin, causing the hairs on her arms to stand on end. But she didn't notice the cold. All she felt was the warmth of her partner's arm against hers as he lay alongside her.

Back in Weatherfield they would never have had the opportunity to see the sky like this. Even if they had chosen to sit on the grimy cobbles, necks craned towards the sky, the view wouldn't have been anywhere near as magnificent as it was here in Carlisle. Here there was no light pollution, no looming factory blocking the views. It was just endless sky as far as you could see, and with it, millions of tiny twinkling orbs.

Carla let out a deep sigh, drawing the attention of the man laying beside her. He turned his head slightly, the movement subtle enough for her not to notice. He lay still for a moment, taking in the image of her. When she had requested that they spend the entirety of her first nights leave from the unit outside in the open, he wasn't sure it was a good idea. But now, watching her lay still on the blanket he had borrowed from the cupboard of his room in the BB, her hair pooling around her on the pillow, the tiniest hint of a smile set on her lips, he knew that it was the perfect way to spend their time together. Gently, so as not to startle her, he laced his fingers between hers.

They lay there silently for several more minutes, neither of them wanting to ruin the serenity. Eventually, Carla spoke.

"It's so peaceful here." She whispered, the noise barely audible. Peter nodded in agreement. "It's like nothing else in the world exists. It's just us and the stars..." She continued. She shifted slightly to face him. "I wish we could just stay here forever."

It was his turn to shift now, allowing himself to lay on his side, his eyes locking with hers. He brought his right hand up and carefully caressed her face, allowing the movement to cross her cheek, gently pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes were still trained on him, the smile on her lips ever so slightly more noticeable.

"If that were possible, I'd make it happen..." He breathed, wanting it more than anything. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this happy. This content. "You know I'd do anything for you, Carla, don't you?" He couldn't take his eyes off her. He was in absolute awe of her. Her courage, her strength, her effortless beauty. He didn't know how he'd got so lucky to have been given another chance. Another chance at life with his lover, best friend and soulmate. He was determined to make it right this time. He'd vowed to never let her down again, and he intended to keep that promise. It was the very least she deserved.

Carla rolled over, so that she was once again laying on her back, eyes skimming the surface of the sky. She took in a deep breath, the scent of lavender from a nearby bush filling her nostrils. Her peace was interrupted by a giggle from Peter. She turned her head to look at him.

"What?" She snapped, in mock annoyance.

"It's just... I never really had you down as an outdoorsy person..."

"Ooh, there's a lot you don't know about me, Mr Barlow!" She giggled, lightly slapping his leg, her eyes still fixed pointedly at the stars. She sighed.

"When we were kids, about 15, Michelle and I used to sneak out at night and meet in this park on the edge of the estate. We had this little spot, right at the far edge of the field, behind this little shack or whatever. No one ever went there. It was our little spot. We used to get there, lay down and watch the stars. We'd spend hours there in silence, just watching. It was like an escape, I guess. Just our time together." She paused to glance at Peter, who was watching her intently, brow furrowed, clearly enamoured by her story. "Well anyway, this one time, we fell asleep, didn't we? Both of us. By the time we woke up the next morning, we knew that it was too late to go back home without getting caught. So there we were, sitting against this grotty shack, mud and twigs matted in our hair, pjs soaked through, planning some elaborate escape from our tragic lives..." She laughed, remembering all to well that feeling of teenage angst. "Well anyway, by the time we had it all sorted, Rob shows up, all red faced and out of breath from running the length of the field, demanding we come straight home. Turns out, Michelle's parents had sent out a search party, and her entire street were looking for us. They got quite the shock when we came trudging back, let me tell you..." She rolled her eyes and shook her head at the memory. "So, I suppose what I'm trying to say is that, I've always found comfort in just watching the stars..."

She let her mind focus on the sky once again, slowly analysing the golden specks that danced against the deep blues and purples of the night. The vast beauty of the sky stretching from one horizon to another enchanted Carla. It was something she had taken for granted as a teen, using it merely as a means of escape. Whereas now, she saw it as so much more than that. It held so many memories, so many feelings. It was one thing that remained constant as so much of her life fell apart. The night sky would always be there for her to get lost in, its beauty overpowering any feelings of loss, or guilt, or fear. It was her shield.

"Breathtaking..." Peter whispered, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

"Isn't it just..." She sighed, her eyes now falling on a star twinkling particularly brighter than the rest. Peter chuckled.

"I was talking about you."

She turned to face him once again, finding him perched on one elbow, admiring her silently. She could feel herself blushing.

And in that moment it dawned on her. From then on, it wasn't just the beauty of the stars and the moon that would act as her shield: the one thing she could rely on. She realised that he had been by her side all along, fighting her battles, protecting her from whatever evils were to come her way. Just in laying beside her now, he made her feel safe and untouchable. She knew in that moment that this time it was for keeps. She wasn't going to let him slip away from her again.

She reached a slender hand up and hooked it carefully behind her lovers head, her fingers tangling in his greying hair. She sighed deeply, pulling his head down towards her, soft lips colliding for the first time in god knows how long. She let her eyes close, allowing herself to get lost in the kiss.

It was Peter who pulled away first. He met Carla's eyes and smiled gently, the first genuine smile of many to come. She returned it, her heart full. He laid back down on the blanket, wrapping his arm tightly around her, pulling her in close to him. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. All thoughts of the real world slipped away as they lay there, wrapped up in each other's arms.

It was just the two of them, together, among the stars.


End file.
